• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.61 no.2
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• pp.11.1-11.5
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• 2021

To evaluate avian hepatitis E virus (aHEV) as an RNA vaccine platform, ORF2 of aHEV was replaced by heterologous genes, such as eGFP and HA-tag, in aHEV infectious cDNA clones. eGFP and HA-tag replicons were expressed in LMH cells. To confirm expression of the heterologous protein, ORF2 was replaced with the antigenic S1 gene of IBV. The IBVS1 replicon was expressed in LMH cells. To our knowledge, this is the first investigation showing the potential as a RNA vaccine platform using an aHEV. In the future, it may be used in the development of RNA vaccines against various pathogens.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.127-136
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• 2019

Three strains of infectious bronchitis viruses (IBVs), designated VNUA3, VNUA8 and VNUA11, were isolated from diseased/infected chickens in Hanoi, Thainguyen, and Haiphong provinces of Vietnam. These birds had received a live IBV vaccination but still suffered from infectious bronchitis. VNUA3, VNUA8 and VNUA11 harbor cleavage sites (RRTGR, HRRRR, and HRRKR, respectively) within the S protein. A BLASTN search revealed that the S gene of VNUA3, VNUA8, and VNUA11 showed the highest nucleotide identity with those of IBV strains CK/Italy/I2022/13, CK/CH/LHLJ/08-6, and GX-NN120084, respectively. Phylogenetic analyses based on the S gene nucleotide sequences revealed that VNUA3, VNUA8 and VNUA11 clustered with Q1-like, QX-like and TC07-2-like genotypes, respectively, and were closely related to reference IBV strains from China. However, the Vietnam IBVs showed high divergence from vaccine strains 4/91 and Ma5, which are used in the Vietnamese farms from which the isolates were obtained. Taken together, these results indicate that at least three genotypes of IBV are circulating among chickens in North Vietnam. This is the first report of the molecular epidemiology of IBV in Vietnam.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.51-56
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• 2015

Infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) causes an acute and highly contagious viral disease of chicken that is great economic losses to the poultry industry worldwide. Among the IBV structural proteins, the high rate spike glycoprotein S1 gene mutation and antigenic variant strains have been reported in many countries. During the years 2012~2014, 10 IBV strains were isolated from infected chicken farms distributed in provinces of Jeonbuk. Analysis of the S1 gene sequences amplified from 10 isolated strains with QX strains showed nucleotide homologies ranging from 96.5 to 95.4%. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that all strains were clustered into QX-like groups. This study suggests that QX-like IBVs are circulating in commercial chicken farms in Jeonbuk. Therefore, the continuing survellance is significantly important for prevention and control of BIV infection.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.263-269
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• 2019

Infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) is an acute respiratory disease, causing economic losses in poultry production. IBV commonly manifests respiratory disease symptoms and poor egg quality in poultry, affecting overall performance of both broilers and layers. IBV infection further predisposes poultry to secondary opportunistic bacterial infections. IBV undergoes rapid genetic evolution resulting in various new strains. There is no cross protection among IBV serotypes which makes full protection against wild-type IBV virtually impossible. In this study, recently isolated IBVs (K24/18, K29/18, K183/18) from Korean broiler farms were genetically analyzed based on S1 gene. According to the results, IBV isolates showed highest homology with QX-IBV. However, phylogenetic tree analysis revealed that isolates were divided into distinct sub-clusters within QX-IBV. To determine pathogenicity of IBV, day-old chicks were challenged with IBV through ocular route. After challenging the chicks, we executed microscopic examination, virus detection in their organs, and observation of clinical signs and mortality. We found that the K24/18, K29/18, K183/18 challenge groups showed 28%, 57%, and 42% mortality, respectively, with high microscopic trachea lesion scores, indicating that these QX-IBV-like strains are pathogenic to chicks and can therefore be a threat to poultry production.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.193-201
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• 2011

An attenuated vaccine strain AVR1/08 of Korean respiratory type of infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) was developed by 89th passages of IBV D85/06 strain in chicken eggs. The AVR1/08 strain had higher virus titer at least 20 times ($10^{1.3}$) than the parent virus D85/06 by egg inoculation method. The AVR1/08 strain had a single point mutation (S to Y) at position 56 of spike protein of IBV compared to parent virus IBV D85/06 strain. The mutation was observed consistently at viruses after 47th passage in chicken eggs. The AVR1/08 strain showed no virulence even after 6 passages in chickens and all chickens inoculated induced anti-IBV antibody 14 days after vaccination. The AVR1/08 strain had broad protective efficacy against QX type Korean nephropathogenic virus (Q43/06 strain), KM91 type Korean nephropathogenic virus (KM91 strain) and Korean respiratory virus (D85/06 strain). In contrast, Massachusetts (Mass) type attenuated vaccine strain H120 showed protection of 37.5 to 50% against these three viruses. Our results indicate that the AVR1/08 strain has potential as an attenuated vaccine effective in controlling IBVs circulating in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.181-189
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• 2011

A 5-month (May to November in 2009) monitoring program for five viral pathogens in litter, such as avian influenza virus A (AIV), infectious bronchitis virus (IBV), infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV), fowl adenovirus (FAdV), and chicken infectious anemia virus (CIAV) was conducted in 62 flocks at 31 broiler farms (two flocks in each farm) in Korea in 2009. Viral pathogens were examined twice (before and at the end of the rearing period) at 31 broiler farms, and included fresh litter (n = 16) and recycled litter (n = 15) farms. Thirty-seven viruses (14 IBVs, 2 IBDVs, 9 FAdVs, and 12 CIAVs) were isolated from 75% (12/16) and 73% (11/15) of fresh litter and reused litter farms during the period, respectively, indicating no difference in viral contamination rate between farms using new and reused litter. Of these isolates, three (two CIAVs and one IBDV) were isolated from recycled litter samples collected before the rearing period at three broiler farms, whereas the others (n=34) were isolated from fresh and recycled litter samples collected at the end of the rearing period. When the performances, involving viability, body weight, and feed conversion ratio, were compared, no significant differences were found between farms using fresh and recycled litter during the period.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.51.1-51.17
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• 2023

Background: To date, various genotypes of infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) have co-circulated and in Korea, GI-15 and GI-19 lineages were prevailing. The spike protein, particularly S1 subunit, is responsible for receptor binding, contains hypervariable regions and is also responsible for the emerging of novel variants. Objective: This study aims to investigate the putative major amino acid substitutions for the variants in GI-19. Methods: The S1 sequence data of IBV isolated from 1986 to 2021 in Korea (n = 188) were analyzed. Sequence alignments were carried out using Multiple alignment using Fast Fourier Transform of Geneious prime. The phylogenetic tree was generated using MEGA-11 (ver. 11.0.10) and Bayesian analysis was performed by BEAST v1.10.4. Selective pressure was analyzed via online server Datamonkey. Highlights and visualization of putative critical amino acid were conducted by using PyMol software (version 2.3). Results: Most (93.5%) belonged to the GI-19 lineage in Korea, and the GI-19 lineage was further divided into seven subgroups: KM91-like (Clade A and B), K40/09-like, QX-like (I-IV). Positive selection was identified at nine and six residues in S1 for KM91-like and QX-like IBVs, respectively. In addition, several positive selection sites of S1-NTD were indicated to have mutations at common locations even when new clades were generated. They were all located on the lateral surface of the quaternary structure of the S1 subunits in close proximity to the receptor-binding motif (RBM), putative RBM motif and neutralizing antigenic sites in S1. Conclusions: Our results suggest RBM surrounding sites in the S1 subunit of IBV are highly susceptible to mutation by selective pressure during evolution.